Visualization

Sooooo I hear a rumor that you'd like to make a visualization with [[Adobe Illustrator|http://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html]]? [[Yes! That sounds great.|Get started]] [[Maybe? I don't really know what Illustrator is.|What is Illustrator?]] [[No! I want a cool, complex interactive.|No Illustrator]]

I guess you go to [[this page|http://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator.html]] [[Okay, done|Get started]]

D3 is fantastic if you enjoy learning unfamiliar programming paradigms, jumping through flaming hoops to make things look nice, and writing sixteen hundred lines of code to get a y-axis to show up in the right place. I highly recommend it if you enjoy watching grass grow into your feet. [[Okay, fine, Illustrator it is.|Get Illustrator]] [[My soles hunger for those tiny green needles|D3 resources]]

What, you think you're doing to learn D3 or something? [[Yes! I want to learn D3. Come on!|Why not D3?]] [[On second thought, Illustrator sounds great|Get Illustrator]]

[[Scott Murray|http://alignedleft.com/tutorials/d3]]

Great! Great! Are you psyched? I'm psyched. I am so psyched I could hug an entire bear, all at once. We'll get started by [[making an artboard|Make an artboard]].

Have you heard of Photoshop? Of course you've heard of Photoshop! Illustrator is kinda like Photoshop, except it's about illustration instead of photographs. Adobe makes both of them, so they're both incredibly powerful and double-incredibly confusing. [[I don't own Illustrator|Get Illustrator]] [[Okay cool it's hiding somewhere on my computer|Get started]]

''Artboards'' are the pieces of digital paper that you draw your visualization on. To get started, we're going to make a ''brand new artboard''. From the top menu on your screen, select ''File > New...''. You'll be presented with about //four thousand// really intense options about how to set up your artboard. (display: "image-default-artboard") My very professional advice is ''ignore all of them'' (or [[don't|new artboard details]], I guess). They're all ''perfectly pleasant defaults''. It'll give you one page to draw on that's the size of a normal piece of paper (a.k.a. Letter), which sounds fine to me. Click ''OK''. Trumpets blare, angels sing: welcome to your artboard! (display: "image-empty-artboard") Let's head out and [[start making visuals|Pick a graphic type]]!

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Different kinds of graphics are made, well, differently in Illustrator. ''Charts and graphs'' are made one way, ''maps'' are made another way, and ''real fancy things'' are made each in their own special ways (just like snowflakes, cats, and people). ''So, dear friend, what would you like to make?'' [[I'd like to make a chart|graph tool]] [[I'd like to make a map|Making a map]] [[I'd like to make something else altogether|Making something else]]

You can make a lot of different kinds of charts with Illustrator! Are you looking for: ''Normal Graphs'' [[Bars or columns|Bar graph]] [[Line graph|Line graph]] [[Scatterplot|Scatterplot]] (a.k.a. dots) [[Pie chart|Pie charts]] ''Weird graphs'' [[Stacked bar graph|Stacked bar graph]] [[Area chart|Area chart]] [[Radar chart|Radar chart]] ''...on second thought'' Maybe you'd like to [[make a map|Making a map]]? Or feel overwhelmed by the options, drowning in information and would [[enjoy a little guidance|Visual guidance]]?

Illustrator has decided that bar graphs (horizontal bars) are different than column graphs (vertical bars), but we'll talk about them the same way here. First, ''hold down the [[graph tool]]'' until you get a list of graph options //[note: your icon might actually be a different kind of graph before you click it]//. (display: "graph-tool-bar-column") Then click either the ''Bar Graph Tool'' or the ''Column Graph Tool''. Steer clear of the stacked versions for now! One it's selected, click somewhere on your artboard and drrrrag out a rectangle. That's your chart! The first step, anyway. (display: "bar-initial") Now it's time to [[get data into our chart|Getting data into your bar or column chart]]

Illustrator has a [[graph tool]] which lets you make all sorts of graphs. All the kinds of graphs Illustrator can use are hidden //inside// of this tool. First, ''hold down the graph tool'' until you get a list of graph options //[note: your icon might actually be a different kind of graph before you click it]//. (display: "graph-tool-line") Then click the ''Line Graph Tool''. Even though the ''Area Graph Tool'' looks a //little// like a line chart you'll want to ignore it for now. One it's selected, click somewhere on your artboard and drrrrag out a rectangle. That's your chart! The first step, anyway. (display: "line-initial") Boring, right? Now it's time to [[get data into your line chart]]

Aw, jeez, haven't you heard about pie charts? Don't you know you aren't supposed to associate with their kind? That the data crowd has developed a completely reasonable, not-irrational-at-all hatred of pies to the point where they refuse to use words that start with ''p'', include ''i'' or end with ''e''? And that it's a Healthy, Good, and True way to be? ''You response is:'' "Oh god - I am so, so sorry. I had no idea, [[I take it all back|previous()]]." "Yes, I have heard, and I [[cast aside your aspersions|Pie charts]]! Count me all in for pies." "I have heard a filthy and unsubstantiated rumor that you, the author, may actually enjoy pie charts. For purely scientific reasons I want to turn on Private Browsing Mode and [[find out more about that blasphemy|Why pie charts are okay]] without letting anyone I respect hear about my purely intellectual curiosity."

I asked your parents and they told me that you aren't allowed to make a radar chart. Sorry.

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Illustrator has a ''Graph Tool'' which lets you make all sorts of graphs. All the kinds of graphs Illustrator can use are hidden //inside// of this tool. First, ''hold down the graph tool'' until you get a list of graph options (also - your icon might actually be a different kind of graph before you click it). Then ''pick your graph''. You're after the ''Pie Graph Tool''! Click it. One it's selected, click somewhere on your artboard and drrrrag out a rectangle. That's your chart! The first step, anyway. [[Data-bar]]

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Small multiples and the human brain make [[pie charts|Pie charts]] okay.

Illustrator has a [[graph tool]] which lets you make all sorts of graphs. All the kinds of graphs Illustrator can use are hidden //inside// of this tool. First, ''hold down the graph tool'' until you get a list of graph options //[note: your icon might actually be a different kind of graph before you click it]//. (display: "graph-tool-scatter") Then click the ''Scatter Graph Tool''. Who calls scatterplots "Scatter Graphs?" Adobe does, actually, and we're all just going to have to suck it up and cry discreetly into our handkerchiefs about it. One it's selected, click somewhere on your artboard and drrrrag out a rectangle. There's your chart, in all its glory! (display: "scatter-initial") Barely worth the screen it's being displayed on, right? So let's [[get data into your scatterplot]]

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Initially your data looks real boring, like this:

First you need to make a new best buddy, the ''Graph Tool''. The ''Graph Tool'' is at the root of every single graph you'll make in Illustrator (mostly). It's a single tool on your toolbar, but you can use it to start up //any// kind of chart. (display: "tools-graph-pointer") ''Click and hold'' the ''graph tool'' to see what your options are, in all their difficult-to-discern glory. (display: "graph-tool-pullout") Beautiful, right? Once we select from that menu, //the world is our oyster//. Take a moment to reflect and get inspired, then we'll head onward and [[pick the kind of chart we're making|Pick a chart type]].

[[line-graph-selected-line]] [[set-stroke-color-top]] [[set-stroke-color-finished]] [[checked-color-menu]] [[opened-color-setting]] [[rgb-color-setting]]

I... can't really help you with that one.

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Now you (quasi-unfortunately) get to deal with Illustrator's [[data entry tool]], which should have opened up automatically. You don't have to measure each bar out individually, but you do have to pay a price. When you're building a ''bar or column chart'', you want ''each data point on its own separate row''. If we were graphing the average height of completely imaginary beasts, for example, we'd do this: (display: "bar-data-first") We type in the data, click the ''checkmark'' in the upper right, and we're good to go. This gives each data point its own labeled bar. (display: "bar-data-first-result-horiz") And if you selected the ''Column Chart Tool'' instead? No sweat, it works just as well. (display: "bar-data-first-result") We can never rest in our quest for perfection, however, so let's [[customize your bar graph]]

The best and worst part of building charts in Illustrator is the spreadsheet-ish ''data entry tool''. It's like when your parents get divorced and you get twice as many presents on Christmas but you also have to cut your stepmom's toenails every other day of the year. Or something. The most important part of the data entry tool is the ''checkmark button''. After you're done typing in your data, click it to save the data to your graph. If we wanna get technical, it's called ''Apply.'' (display: "data-menu-ok")

Now you (quasi-unfortunately) get to deal with Illustrator's [[data entry tool]], which should have opened up automatically. You don't have to measure out each line and point individually, but you do have to pay a price for the convenience. When you're building a line chart, the ''data for each line gets its own column''. Since line charts often deal with years, you might remember it as ''every year gets its own a row.'' Let's say we were charting the relative importance of certain dinosaurs over time. We type in the data, click the ''checkmark'' in the upper right, and we're good to go. (display: "line-data-first") ''VERY IMPORTANT:'' When working with years, ''you have to put "quotation marks" around them.'' Otherwise it will [[look like garbage|years need quotes]] By giving every dinosaur its own column, we get a nice little line chart - ''separate columns, separate lines''. (display: "line-data-first-result") Gorgeous, right? But beauty is never absolute: let's [[customize your line chart]]

When you're working with years you almost ''always need to put them in quotation marks''. If we're talking about dinosaurs and you ''forget quotation marks'', your data might look like this: (display: "line-data-noquotes") If that happens, Illustrator will mistake your years as //actual data// and will try to put it on the chart as its own separate line. The result will closely resemble ''complete garbage'', like this: (display: "line-data-noquotes-result") If you go ahead and add the quotation marks, though... (display: "line-data-first") Everything works out perfectly! (display: "line-data-first-result") A good thing to remember is ''if years are displaying as decimals, you need quotation marks.''

One of the most important menus for adjusting your graph is the ''Type'' menu. ''First'', though: do you know how to [[open the type menu]]? ''Second'', if you made a mistake early on and picked the wrong kind of graph, ''you can change the graph type through the Type menu''. (display: "type-menu-change") ''Third'', you can change the axes of the graph (the count-y, describe-y bits on the bottom and left) by clicking ''Graph Menu'' up top and selecting [[Value Axis]] or [[Category Axis]]. (display: "type-menu-axis-submenu") ''Fourth'', lots of options are specific to each kind of graph. What kind of chart are you working on? [[Guide to the bar graph type menu]] [[Guide to the line graph type menu]] [[Guide to the scatterplot type menu]]

Now you (quasi-unfortunately) get to deal with Illustrator's [[data entry tool]], which should have opened up automatically. You don't have to measure out the location of each scattered point individually, but there is a price to pay for the convenience. //You'll see!// When you're building a scatterplot, ''each axis gets its own column''. The first column is going to be the y-axis (the vertical one) and the second column is going to be the x-axis (the horizontal one). Let's say we didn't know anything about basketball but felt like making a scatterplot of the ''heights and weights of the Miami Heat''. If we were paying attention, we might set up our data like this: (display: "scatter-data-first") It turns out that Illustrator actually takes the //first two graphable columns// for the scatterplot, so ''you can even have a first column of names'' if you really want to. (display: "scatter-data-first-2") Now that we've put in our data, we click the ''checkmark'' in the upper right-hand corner and tada! Our data courses through the veins of the chart, updating it. (display: "scatter-data-first-result") Why does it have all of those lines? Well, because it wants to, and because it has stupid defaults. Let's [[customize your scatterplot]].

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To access the type menu, you have to ''make sure the data entry menu is closed.'' Close it by clicking the little close button (yours might be different if you aren't on a mac). (display: "howto-close-data-menu") Then you'll want to make sure your graph is selected - a.k.a. it has little blue squares all over it. If not, read up on the [[black selection tool]]. Your chart itself might look a different different than mine, but if your graph is selected it'll look something like this: (display: "howto-see-selected") Now you can either access the ''Type'' menu by ''right-clicking'' on the graph (or holding 'control' and clicking'), and selecting ''Type...' (display: "howto-open-type-menu") It's a little different depending on your graph type, but it should look a little something like this: (display: "type-menu-intro-bar")

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[[line-chart-with-dots]] [[type-menu-dots]] [[line-chart-without-dots]]

Let's say we're working on a chart about dinosaurs. (display: "value-axis-pre-edit") Take a look at the y-axis - maybe we feel that 10 to 60 just isn't enough range, and maybe we'd like to point out that it's actually sixty //percent//. We can change that through the ''Value Menu''. ''First'' you'll need to open up the [[type menu]] and go into the ''Value Axis'' submenu. There are a lot of useful options in there! (display: "value-axis-options") ''Override Calculated Values'' lets you manually set the maximum and minimum of the axis, as well as how many little marks are on it. We'll set it as ''0 to 100''. [[Tick marks]] get their own special page. Then we'll use ''Add Labels'' to stick a ''percent symbol'' on the end of each number on the y-axis. Click ''OK'' and we're good to go! (display: "value-axis-post-edit")

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You can fix up your visualization in a lot of ways! You can [[use the type menu|type menu]] to change the basic setup of your graph - what shows up on each axis, bar widths, whether line charts have points, etc. You can [[annotate your chart]] by [[drawing circles]], [[lines|drawing lines]], [[arrows|drawing arrows]] and [[words|writing text]]. You can [[change the colors of various things|change colors]] or [[adjust line thickness|change line thickness]] or [[turn scatterplot squares into circles]].

Som

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Does the width of those bars make you uncomfortable? Maybe a little thinner, maybe a little wider, maybe a little more or less spaced out? I agree, let's [[adjust the bar or column width]]. You could also [[remove the borders around bars]] which simplifies your display a bit. Maybe your chart doesn't quite fit and you need to [[resize|resizing]] it? If you want things to go left-to-right instead of up-and-down you might want to check out the [[type menu]]. And while you're in the [[type menu|type menu]] you might also [[adjust the axes|change the axes]]. Eventually you might want to [[change the colors|changing colors]] of a thing or two.

The first thing you'll want to do is [[get rid of the lines|remove lines on scatterplot]]. Why are they even there in the first place? While you're in the [[type menu|type menu]] you might also [[change the axes]]. Maybe your chart doesn't quite fit and you need to [[resize|resizing]] it? Eventually you'll also want to [[turn the squares into circles|convert squares dots to circles]].

''First'' you might want to [[get rid of the dots on the lines]]. ''Then'' you might want to [[change the axes]] - the maximums, minimums, and how many segments they're broken up into. The y-axis is (usually) called the [[Value Axis]], and the x-axis is called the [[Category Axis]]. It might also be nice to [[change the line color|change line color]]. Maybe your chart ''doesn't quite fit'' and you need to [[resize|resizing]] it?

When you first make a scatterplot, for *some* reason the dots are all connected. This is crazy, and we're gonna turn it off. (display: "scatter-data-first-result") ''First'', use the [[black selection tool]] to select your graph, then go into the [[type menu]]. One of the options on the ''Graph Type'' screen is ''Connect data points'' - this draws lines between each data point. Uncheck it. (display: "type-menu-connect-points") Magically, all of those horrible lines will go away. The color has returned to life, the world is now again in motion. (display: "scatter-data-nolines-result")

To change the axes on any chart, ''first'' you'll need to [[open the type menu|type menu]]. ''Then'' open up the [[Value Axis]] or [[Category Axis]] option menu.

For some reason Illustrator always puts //squares// as the data points in a graph when obviously //circles// are the only shape that will do. (display: "unselected-scatter-with-squares") ''NOTE:'' This is an example of a [[disappearing change]] so make sure you've made all of your adjustments to your axes etc (everything in the [[type menu]]) before you do it. ''First'', select all of the points with the [[white selection tool]] by using the [[alt+click trick]] or just by clicking and dragging. (display: "scatter-selected-squares") ''Next'', using the top menu, select ''Effect'', then ''Convert to Shape'', then ''Ellipse''. (display: "top-menu-convert-to-shape") In this menu, the most important part is to make sure you ''select //Absolute// for the size''! The default is ''Relative'' which resizes it as an addition to the current size of the squares. The //other// important part is to make sure height and width are the same so the ellipses turn out as circles. (display: "menu-convert-ellipse-options") Click ''OK'' and you should be all set. (display: "unselected-scatter-with-dots") Looking good? If you picked a bad size, you can always [[undo]].

There are two kinds of adjustments you can make to your charts in Illustrator. 1. ''Automatic changes'' are made through the [[type menu]] and other similar menus. 2. ''Manual changes'' are made by selecting part of your graph - maybe a dot, or a word, or a line - and manually selecting the color, size or position. Sometimes when you make an automatic change //after// making a manual change, ''all of your manual changes disappear''. This is because Illustrator resets all of the graph's thoughts and feelings based //only// on automatic settings, and ignoring anything manual you did. There's not much to do except to ''make your automatic changes first, then your manual changes.'' Otherwise your manual changes become //disappearing changes//.

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If you ''did something wrong'', you can (on a mac) hold down the command key and press Z. If you love your mouse, go up to the top menu, select ''Edit'' and ''Undo ______''. (display: "undo-menu")

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You can use the ''tick marks'' option to add a grid system to your

When you first make a bar or column graph, the bar widths are kind of... middling. Not obnoxiously wide, not obnoxiously thin, nothing that's going to win us an Oscar. (display: "column-default-bar-width") ''So let's win us an Oscar!'' We're going to do this twice: once for a single-column bar graph, and once for a multi-column (a.k.a. clustered) bar graph. ''First'', use the [[black selection tool]] to select your graph, then go into the [[type menu]]. Near the bottom of the ''Graph Type'' screen is ''Column Width'' and ''Cluster Width'', which are the two values you're looking to change. We'll talk about them in reverse order. (display: "graph-menu-bar-width") ''Cluster Width'' is the amount of space by each x-axis area dedicated to columns (the space above ''Cat'', for example). At 100%, //all// of the area above ''Cat'' is dedicated to columns. At 50%, //half// of the area above ''Cat'' is dedicated to columns. ''Column Width'' is how wide the columns should be //within// the ''Cluster Width''. If the ''Column Width'' is 100%, the columns will be as big as possible. If they're at 50%, they'll only be half as wide as they could be. Confused yet? Let's look at some examples. (display: "column-default-bar-width") ''90% column width, 80% cluster width.'' The default. (display: "column-100-col-50-cluster") ''100% column width, 50% cluster width.'' A little skinnier. Every cluster itakes up half of the area above ''Cats'', and each column takes up 100% of that. (display: "column-100-col-50-cluster") ''50% column width, 100% cluster width.'' Looks the same as the one above, right? Each cluster is 100% of the width above ''Cats'', but each column only takes up 50% of that. (display: "column-100-col-100-cluster") ''100% column width, 100% cluster width.'' Nice, full-width columns. ''Things change if you have multiple columns clustered together.'' Let's say our data looked like this: (display: "clustered-bar-ears-nose") So our initial graph looked like this: (display: "clustered-bar-ears-nose-graph") The default is still ''90% column width, 80% cluster width'', which it means that ''the "cluster" area above //Cats// (a.k.a. where columns can go) is taking up 80% of the width, and each column is taking up 90% of the space it //could// be taking up.'' And if we adjust it? (display: "clustered-bar-ears-nose-graph-100-col-50-cluster") ''100% column width, 50% cluster width.'' The clusters only take up 50% of the space above ''Cats'', but each individual column takes up 100% of the space it's allowed to. (display: "clustered-bar-ears-nose-graph-50-col-100-cluster") ''50% column width, 100% cluster width.'' The clusters take up 100% of the space above ''Cats'', but each individual column takes up 50% of the space it could be filling up. (display: "clustered-bar-ears-nose-graph-100-col-100-cluster") ''100% column width, 100% cluster width.'' The clusters take up 100% of the space above ''Cats'', and each column takes up as much space as possible.

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Bar and column graphs automatically get slightly-unattractive borders around each of the bars. ''Let's fix that!'' ''First'', use the [[white selection tool]] (and maybe the [[alt+click trick]]) to select all of the bars and boxes you'd like to remove the borders from. (display: "bar-borders-selected-rects") ''You have a few pathways to freedom'' One method is by ''setting the stroke width to zero''. Using the [[stroke menu]] or the menu bar up top, click the down arrow to set ''Stroke'' to 0 (it'll disappear). (display: "top-stroke-menu") You can also set the ''Stroke color'' to the [["none" color]], a.k.a. the white with the red slash through it. (display: "top-stroke-color-menu") And there you go! No borders. (display: "bar-no-borders")

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The "None" color looks like this: (display: "none-color-image") If you have an object and set the [[stroke color]] to "none," the ''outline disappears''. When you select the "none" color as the [[fill color]], the inside of the object disappears. ''Magic!'' You might also just think of it as "making things transparent" even though it isn't quite right.

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Resizing a chart is tricky business in Illustrator! It usually goes wrong. After you read this, though, it'll ''always go right''. A lot of the time when you build a graph, it just //doesn't quite fit on the artboard//. (display: "unresized-graph") ''First'' you'll want to use the [[black selection tool]] to select your graph/chart/map. (display: "unresized-graph-selected") ''Then'' you'll go to the toolbar and ''double-click the Scale tool''. ''Object'' > ''Transform'' > ''Scale...'' from the top menu works, too. (display: "scale-tool-button") ''MAKE SURE YOU DOUBLE-CLICK IT.'' Things get weird and complicated if you click it some other way. If you click correctly, you get a nice simple menu. (display: "scale-tool-menu") You'll want to be sure you're using ''Uniform scaling''. Otherwise it'll resize your width differently than your height and everything will look tragic! Make note of ''Scale Strokes & Effects'' if you'd like, it might prove useful if you have really thick lines and you're resizing a ton. But you can ''probably ignore it!'' So pick a percent for ''Uniform scaling'', click ''OK'', and ta-da! Your graph has been beautifully resized. (display: "resized-graph")

When you have a lot of data , line charts look a lot better without the dots marking every single data point. "Millions of dots" is the default, though, so we have to change that ourselves. (display: "line-chart-with-dots") Let's remove those dots! //[ed.: if you squint you can see they're actually squares]// ''First'', use the [[black selection tool]] to select your entire graph, then bring up the [[type menu]]. Cast an eye down at the ''Options'' section. (display: "type-menu-dots") Go ahead and uncheck ''Mark Data Points'', then click ''OK''. (display: "line-chart-without-dots") Beautiful! No more marked data points.

There are two kinds of color in Illustrator: [[fill color]] and [[stroke color]]. To change the color of the lines in a graph, you need to use ''stroke color'' (because there's nothing to fill inside of a line!). ''First'', use the [[white selection tool]] and the [[alt+click trick]] to select //all// of the line you'd like to change the color of. (display: "line-graph-selected-line") ''Then'' you'll need to [[set the line's color mode to CMYK, RGB or HSL|set color mode]], otherwise it will be [[stuck in shades of grey]]. //[Note: you ''might'' need to try to do the next step, then go back and set the color mode]// ''Finally'' you can use the [[stroke color]] selection tool up top and pick a new color. (display: "set-stroke-color-top") Pick away, and there you go! (display: "set-stroke-color-finished")

Every object in Illustrator has a ''color mode'', or a way it thinks about its own colors. There a billion different ways to represent color: * ''RGB'', red + green + blue (screens) * ''CMYK'', cryan + magenta + yellow + black (printed page) * ''HSB'', hue + saturation + brightness * ''Grayscale'', shades of (you guessed it!) gray For god knows what reason Illustrator has decided that ''by default all charts are grayscale'', so ''you have to change the color mode'' of each and every line, bar and dot before you bring it into the world of color. To do this, ''first'' you need to make sure the ''Color menu'' is open - go to the ''Window'' menu up top and make sure ''Color'' has a checkmark next to it. (display: "checked-color-menu") Then use the [[black selection tool]] or the [[white selection tool]] to pick the object(s) you're looking to set the color mode of. (display: "line-graph-selected-line") Now find the color menu sitting somewhere on your screen, and click the ''little menu-y looking thing in the top right-hand side''. (display: "opened-color-setting") It will open up a menu of color options, and you'll want to pick //literally anything except Grayscale//. RGB is a fine choice if you're designing for the web. If you're designing for print go CMYK. (display: "rgb-color-setting") And there you go! Pick colors to your heart's content.

If you seem to be stuck in shades of grey, you need to [[change the coor mode|set color mode]] of the element you're trying to colorize.